


Apple Blossoms on my Tongue

by FaeBae



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Flowers, Gen, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Sickfic, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-30 06:45:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10871286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaeBae/pseuds/FaeBae
Summary: Robbie Rotten wasn't sure what problems the new superhero would bring about, but years later it looks like trouble is finally starting to bloom.





	Apple Blossoms on my Tongue

**Author's Note:**

> Hanahaki is a Disease born from one-sided love, the afflicted cough up flowers until they either confess their feelings or allow the flowers to suffocate them. There is the solution of removing the flowers, however removing them also removes any feelings that you have for the one you love.

It began with a simple cough.

Just a tiny little cough, like the kind one would have to clear their throat, or dispel sudden irritation. Minuscule, unimportant and forgotten about for most, however Robbie Rotten wasn’t like most people. No, Robbie Rotten tended to add a dramatic flair whenever possible.

Robbie shot up out of his orange fuzzy chair as soon as he had let out the small cough. "Oh no," he said. "No, no, no, no, no," he repeated as he froze up and dared not to breathe for fear of coughing again. For a moment he seemed to be in the clear, until there was a slight itch in his throat. Robbie struggled to not cough and rid himself of the irritation, eyes watering from the effort, but he only lasted about ten seconds before gasping for air and triggering a coughing fit.

"Why me?" he whined, as soon as he caught his breath. He dragged his hands down his face as he continued to grunt and groan internally, cursing his body for being dumb enough to get sick for the first time in months. It was only minutes before Robbie had to cough again, and taking the continued coughing as a sign of his soon to come demise, Robbie lamented about his life and the choices he made that had led up to now.

"Ugh" he groaned in an exasperated tone, the back of his right hand coming up to rest upon his forehead. "I'm too young and handsome to die," he bemoaned as he flopped down into his chair, folding his arms across his chest, and pouting at his fate.

After about an hour of wallowing in self misery Robbie mumbled, "I wonder…" before coughing weakly. "I must have something to deal with this awful affliction!" he whined as he slowly got up out of his chair, his back making odd cracking and creaking noises. Grunting at the sensation of his spine trying to realign itself, Robbie made his way over to his bathroom, a small room tucked away in the corner of the lair.

Shouldering his way in, Robbie set about to immediately get his hands on some medicine to alleviate his dreadful cough. Swinging open his cabinet helpfully labeled 'Medical Supplies' He began digging through piles of gauze, ointment, bandages, and practically any type of material typically found in a fully stocked first aid kits, except cough medicine.

"Why do I even have all this unnecessary junk?" Robbie growled in an irritated tone, then recalled that he tended to be accident prone when it came to his inventions and schemes. "Oh yeah," he answered lamely. "Whatever!" he shouted in exasperation, flinging his arms up and banging his left hand into the cabinet door. "OUCH!" he yelped, cradling the now bruised hand to his chest. "I meant to do that," he announced glancing about the bathroom.

"Looks like I'll have to buy some," Robbie muttered rubbing his injured hand gingerly with the other. Not bothering to close up the cabinet, Robbie exited the bathroom and made his way to the nearby pharmacy. Robbie absentmindedly hoped he wouldn't be bothered during his endeavor as he clambered up the tubing and made his way out of the lair.

Robbie decided sneaking was the best option he had to avoid running into anyone, ducking behind walls and trees when the wind so much as tickled his skin. He paused, however, as particularly nasty cough caused him to stand up out of his half crouch. Unbeknownst him, he happened to be right next to field where Sportacus and the kids were playing when he stood up to clear his throat.

Sportacus had just suggested a water break for the children when the awful hacking drew his attention. Glancing about he noticed Robbie leaning on a nearby low wall and coughing into his fist. Concerned, Sportacus decided to check and make sure Robbie was okay. With a "I'll be right back!" to the kids, Sportacus did his signature dabbing move before flipping his way over.

Robbie shivered, the blasted coughing was starting to do a number on his throat. He was about to go back into his sneak mode when he heard a familiar sound he absolutely despised.

_Children. Playing._

Jerking his head towards the sound, he saw the kids standing around as Sportacus did that weird thing with arms. _What had the kids had called it? Dabbing? Whatever._  Robbie thought. Sportacus was now flipping away from the kids… Robbie watched and prayed he wasn't coming towards… Yep, sure enough, that flippity-floppity blue elf was flipping right towards him.

 _NOPE_ , Robbie screamed in his head and bolted, running as fast as his long legs could take him - coughing be damned. He completely missed Sportacus's confused expression as he sped off.

Sportacus just shook his head, folding his arms over his chest. _Oh Robbie. I wonder what you're up to today?_ he thought fondly as a smile stretched across his face.

Panting, Robbie suddenly found himself at his destination and calmly walked into the store. He successfully acquired a bottle of cotton candy flavored cough syrup soon enough, not sparing a single glance at the gross sportscandy flavored varieties. Making his purchases, he double timed it back to his lair, glad that he was able to avoid encountering anyone on the way back. Sportacus coming towards his general direction before was too close a call.

Now that Robbie had his cough syrup there was no way he was going to get sick. He paused in putting away the medicine as he recalled the hyper-active _Sportaflippity-flop_ tending to him, after the last time he had gotten sick. His face heated up at the memories…

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Robbie was, for lack of a better word, miserable. Completely and utterly miserable. "Of all times to get sick!" Robbie crowed and let out a loud sneeze. He snuggled deeper into his blanket nest he had created on his beloved orange fuzzy chair as he sniffled.

Robbie was positive he heard thumping coming from the hatch. Then again, everything sounded muffled in his underground lair and the pipes had a tendency to knock about during this type of weather. The ever expanding and contracting of the metal pipes, making the odd groan and thunking sound in synchrony with the weather each season, was a unique conductor to the orchestra of sounds inside his abode. Robbie decided that, yes, it's just the pipes doing they're regular symphony of annoying noises, and burrowed deeper into his makeshift nest of heavy blankets to ignore the sounds.

The sound finally tapered off and Robbie breathed a sigh at the absence of noise. The relief was short lived, however, as a new and much louder racket sounded, and this time it was definitely emanating from the entrance hatch. Robbie squawked in surprise as Sportacus came shooting out, landing perfectly on his feet.

"Hello Robbie!" Sportacus said, all too cheerily in Robbie's opinion. He was even standing in that dumb hero pose of his.

"What are you doing?!" Robbie shouted his voice cracking. He winced at the sharp pain it caused in his throat.

Sportacus' smile dropped along with his arms at pained look on Robbie's face. "You sound terrible! Are you sick, Robbie?" Sportacus asked, concern coloring his words.

"No," Robbie fibbed, not looking at Sportacus. "I am in perfect health." He fished a hand out of the blankets and made a shooing motion at Sportacus. "Go away," he sniffed, closing his eyes and sticking his nose up into the air.

Sportacus frowned a little. "Robbie-" He was cut off by a rather loud sneeze from said man.

Robbie smacked his uncovered hand to his face, his complexion taking on an interesting shade of red. Sportacus' eyebrows pinched together as his frown deepened, and he opened to mouth to speak–

"It was just a sneeze!" Robbie yelped, his voice muffled by his hand. "It means absolutely nothing!" Sportacus simply gave him a pointed look and took a step towards him. "What are you even doing down here?" Robbie asked, his voice sounding strained. It was difficult to tell if it was from being sick or from the nerves.

Sportacus paused. "Uh, well…" He turned his head to side and Robbie could swear he saw a hint of pink on those ridiculously perfect cheeks of his.

 _Wait,_ he thought as he tried to process what his brain had just thrown at him, _WHAT?!_ Dear gods, this fever was making him delirious and think… _weird_ things. Robbie was tempted to smack himself, but restrained due to the fact that Sportacus was right there and doing so would alert him that something was actually up.

Meanwhile, Sportacus was looking around everywhere – except at Robbie – his mind trying to come up with an excuse as to why he came to bother the local villain, especially in the middle of the night – way past his usual bedtime. Interrupting Robbie's internalized bafflement, Sportacus spoke, "I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay." He turned his head giving Robbie an earnest look as one of his hands lightly gestured to him.

"I'm fine," Robbie immediately retorted, "I'm always f-" His normal spiel of _I'm always fine!_ getting cut off by a loud sneeze. Robbie sniffed and tried speaking before getting cut off again. As soon as the aggressive sneeze attack ended, Robbie just threw his arms up in the air and let out an angry "GAH!" before dropping them back down, releasing a miserable-sounding sniffle as a pout overtook his flushed face.

Sportacus tilted his head and gave him an unimpressed look.

"Shut up," Robbie bit out, his voice coming out raw and congested.

"I didn't say anything," Sportacus said in what he hoped what was a placating tone. He got a glare for his troubles. Rolling his eyes, Sportacus walked over to Robbie, reaching over to his side table and grabbing the box of tissues resting there. "Here," Sportacus said as he put the box within Robbie's reach.

Still glaring, Robbie snatched some tissues up, hoping he could knock the box out of the offending Sportakook's hand if he was forceful enough, but with no such luck.

Sportacus set the box down as Robbie noisily blew his nose. He couldn't help but wince at the mucus-y sound. Robbie smirked at Sportacus's wince, balling up the disgusting used tissues and throwing them behind himself over the armchair, smirking again at the grimace Sportacus gave him.

"That's not sanitary," Sportacus chastised.

"I'm too tired to get up," Robbie huffed, crossing his arms. "Besides, it's not like I can throw them across the room either," he muttered mostly to himself.

Sportacus sighed, then started shifting until he was standing directly in front of Robbie, looking down at him.

"What?" Robbie asked in an irritated tone.

Sportacus said nothing as he leaned down, his hands outstretched and coming towards Robbie's neck.

"Sporta-!" Robbie's voice went up several octaves as Sportacus' hands rested oh-so-carefully on his neck, his thumbs barely brushing his pulse points there. Face burning, Robbie felt those cool hands move up until Sportacus was gently cradling Robbie's jaw, concern shining in his blue eyes.

"Robbie," Sportacus murmured. Robbie sat frozen, his eyes wide and heart pounding at Sportacus' proximity. "You're warm," Sportacus breathed, his eyes never breaking contact with Robbie's, "too warm." He frowned and began sliding his hands down and away.

Robbie grabbed one of Sportacus' wrists. "Don't," he whispered, a pleading look in his eye. Sportacus froze and waited for Robbie to explain. "Your hands…" He paused, looking away, licking at his bottom lip.

Sportacus tracked the soft pink muscle with rapt attention before he remembered himself and snapped his eyes back to Robbie's own that were still – thankfully – turned away.

"They… feel nice," Robbie finished in a hoarse whisper, the flush on his face creeping all the way down his neck, and for a curious moment Sportacus wondered if the flush went all the way to Robbie's chest.

Blinking, Sportacus pushed the thought from his mind. _Now is not the time for that_ , he mentally berated himself.

Robbie looked back at him, his pale grey eyes slightly hazy from the fever. Sportacus could feel Robbie's thundering pulse and the movement of his throat when he swallowed. Sportacus closed his eyes and slowly let out a breath. He opened them again stood back up, removing his hands from Robbie who groaned at the loss of the soothing cool of his hands. "Robbie," Sportacus said, "I need to go get you some medicine. Where can I find it here?"

"The far corner behind me," Robbie answered with a jerk of his head. "Bathroom is behind the door, just push to open it."

"Thank you," Sportacus said with a small smile. Robbie huffed a quiet "Whatever" as Sportacus retrieved the medicine that would help Robbie get better. Sportacus came back after a moment, a small box in tow. "Here," Sportacus said as got the proper dosage out for Robbie.

"I could have done that myself, Sportadoof," Robbie grumbled as Sportacus handed him two small white pills.

"I'm just trying to help you out, Robbie," Sportacus said, a fond look creeping onto his face. "Let me get you some w-" Sportacus stopped as he watched Robbie tilt his head back and dry-swallow the pills. "Robbie!" Sportacus said with acute dismay.

"What?" Robbie snapped a with grimace, the pills causing a bitter taste in the back of his throat.

 

"You're supposed to take those with water!" Sportacus said, a hint of worry in his tone.

"Oh, can it, Sportaworry. I've done this plenty of times." Robbie pointedly ignored the look of growing horror on Sportacus' face. "I'm perfectly fine," he continued, flapping his hand around in a dismissal gesture.

Sportacus was about to argue with Robbie about the negative affects of taking pills without water when he heard a loud gurgling sound from the general proximity of Robbie's stomach. "Robbie," Sportacus said quietly, "when was the last time you ate?" he questioned.

Robbie refused to look Sportacus in the eye. "I… don't know?" he replied timidly, followed by a sheepish smile.

"Oh, Robbie!" Sportacus gasped. "That's awful! And you're sick too! Do you have any…" he trailed off looking at Robbie with an almost guilty expression.

"If you say sportscandy, I _will_ throw up on you." Robbie hissed, the very word of sportscandy making his stomach churn.

Sportacus gulped, his adam's apple bobbing as he worried that Robbie might try and actually make good on that threat, last thing he need was a feverish _and_ puking Robbie Rotten on his hands.

"I don't have any of your gross . . . . sportscandy here, but I do have soup." Robbie said as he shifted around in his nest of blankets suddenly uncomfortably with fact that Sportacus was helping him.

"That's good." Sportacus said as he look around "Where. . . ?" he questioned his gaze going back to Robbie, who just pointed to a area decorated with cabinets "Kitchen is over there" he replied.

 

Smiling Sportacus flipped his way over to the mismatch cabinets while Robbie just rolled his eyes as he tried to rewrap himself with his blankets.

 

Sportacus tittered about in what Robbie claimed was his kitchen, although to Sportacus it was more of a pantry/fridge combo with a workshop table that seem to function as a countertop and something that resembled a microwave. Sportacus was hesitant to even be near the complicated contraption that took up most of the countertop space, cartwheeling around it he quickly went about getting what Robbie needed.

Unhappy that he was giving Robbie canned soup instead of something home cooked with fresh vegetables, Sportacus supposed it was better than nothing at all. The faster Robbie had something in his system the better his body could fight off his fever and recovering all the more quickly.

Sportacus paused in his musing as he approached, what he settled on calling, the microwave; the overly complicated machine with its odd buttons and switches that seemed to mock him.

Robbie settled in his chair watching Sportacus with a unimpressed look as he flipped and flopped about, all this activity just to get some dumb soup. Robbie raised an eyebrow when Sportacus paused at the microwave and just dumbly stared at it. He didn't want to say anything just to see how long the Blue Elf would actually stand still, but his stomach had other plans and growled incessantly.

Huffing Robbie cleared his throat to get Sportacus's attention, and to his amusement Sportacus jumped slightly swiveling his head to look at Robbie pink staining his cheeks.

"Just push the big green button on the right side, once the food is in pull that orange lever on the other side." Robbie instructed a smirk playing on his lips as Sportacus did as he was told.

A few minutes later Robbie startled his eyes opening up, _when did I close them?_ he thought as Sportacus gently shook him awake.

Sportacus had one hand on his shoulder while the other held a steaming bowl "You fell asleep." Sportacus chuckled warmly, "Sorry I took so long. Had to wait for it to cool, I didn't want you burn yourself with it." he explained as he pushed bowl into Robbie's uncovered hands, the spoon inside bumping into his thumb.

Robbie look down at the warm soup blearily, still trying to process the fact he had fallen asleep, in front of his nemesis no less. "Thanks." Robbie muttered as he picked up the spoon and started eating.

Sportacus, happy that Robbie was now eating, dropped to the floor and began doing sit-ups keeping count in his head as not to bother Robbie; who was currently giving him a disgruntled look.

Sportacus had only gotten to fifty sit-ups when he saw Robbie setting the bowl down on the side table next to his chair.

Jumping up went to take the bowl away, he frowned when he saw the bowl was barely half empty "You hardly ate anything Robbie." Sportacus said as he looked over at him.

"Not much of an appetite." Robbie shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, that’s ok, at least you ate something." Sportacus hummed.

"Whatever." Robbie snorted, before he yawned loudly his eyelids nearly drooping closed.

"You should try to rest now Robbie." Sportacus said has began moving the blankets to tuck him in, "Ok." Robbie murmured his eyes fully closing.

Sportacus paused in his tucking watching as Robbie's breathing evened out, unable to restrain himself Sportacus ran his fingers through his hair. The soft dark curls parting easily as he moved his fingers through it "Hvíldu vel." Sportacus whispered as he continued until he was certain Robbie was asleep.

With a stomach full of warm food and Sportacus murmuring gently while running cool fingers along his heated scalp Robbie felt himself drifting off, the darkness of sleep pulling his fever exhausted mind under quickly.

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When Robbie awoke he was on the airship, unsure as to how he got there or why he was onboard. "Wha…" he trailed off looking around, squinting at the stark bright white of the room as he stood up from the bed. There was a sudden _pssh_ sound, and Robbie jumped back as the floor around the pole began to descend.

Robbie just stared wide eyed as Sportacus ascended up with the pole and the platform retracted back into its previous position. "Ah! Robbie, it's good see you up and about." A wide and toothy smile followed. "Just in time too!" he chirped, all too happy as he moved about inside the Airship in an overly complex aerobics routine that had him pushing random pressure plates on his death trap of a floor.

Robbie slowly backed away, minding where he stepped. "Just in time?" he parroted has his confusion grew. Sportacus continued his flipping about as a contraption lowered from the ceiling. "In time for what?" Robbie called out as he tried to brace himself against the wall, recalling what exactly what the ceiling contraption was for. Sportacus began spinning one of the wheels, causing the Airship to sightly list to the side, and Robbie yelped as he felt himself slide across the wall a bit.

The Airship announced something that had Sportacus nodding his head enthusiastically. Robbie didn't hear what was being said, however, due to his heart pounding in his ears as he scrambled to hold on to _something_.

"Why saving the world of course!" Sportacus quipped.

"What on earth are you going on about?" Robbie yelped as he slid further to the side.

Either Sportadingus didn't hear him, which was unlikely, or he was ignoring the question; Robbie wasn't sure what made him angrier. "Sportakook!" he shrieked as the Airship dipped sharply in the other direction suddenly causing Robbie to zip across the floor and slam into the wall.

"Ow." Robbie whined, certain a bruise was forming from where his body had hit the wall, whipping his head over to glare at Sportacus, who was honest to the gods _giggling_.

Standing on up on shaky legs, once he was certain the Airship wasn't going to sabotage his balance, Robbie made his way over to Sportacus. Robbie was ready to give that insane Blue Kangaroo a piece of his mind, but before he could even open his mouth an alarm blared.

Things seemed to move in slow-motion as large projectile began to smash into glass windows of the Airship. Robbie watched in mounting horror as large cracks began spider-webbing their way across the Airship's interior. A scream was stuck in his throat as cracks continued along, going off into a never ending fractal pattern of destruction.

Sportacus was suddenly by his side. "Robbie?" he questioned, an odd look on his face as he gently put his hand on Robbie's shoulder. "Robbie, what's wrong?"

 _What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?!?_ Robbie screeched in his head. His hands flew up to grab his hair to keep himself from outright smacking Sportacus. Was that blue elf being serious right now?! "You have got to be kidding me!" came the strangled reply from Robbie, as he stared at Sportacus' face, which was now showing full blown confusion and concern

"Robbie?" he questioned again, his voice somehow more quiet and strained this time.

"How can you be so calm about this?!" Robbie yelled, causing Sportacus to wince at the volume.

"About what Robbie?" he asked in a strangely calm tone, his brow pinching further as he watched Robbie's rapidly changing facial expressions.

"That!" Robbie yelled as he gesticulated wildly with one hand to the ever-encroaching cracks, the other still tugging and coming close to ripping out his hair.

Sportacus looked in the direction Robbie had flung his arm out, but his expression never changed. "I don't -" he began but was cut off as Robbie let out a frustrated scream from behind his clenched teeth.

"The. Goddamn. Airship. Is. Falling. Apart." Robbie said slowly pausing with each word as he shouted them.

"What do you mean the Airship is coming apart Robbie?" Sportacus asked in a near panicked voice. "Last I checked she was fine," he said as he tried to get Robbie to calm down and stop pulling at his hair. "Robbie you need to calm down, you're hurting yourself!" Sportacus exclaimed.

"The Airship is literally falling apart and we're hundreds of feet up – how in the world am I supposed to be calm?!" Robbie practically sobbed, tears falling freely from his eyes.

"Robbie everything is fine." Sportacus said as calmly as he could while he grabbed Robbie's wrists to stop him from pulling on his hair.

"How?" Robbie whimpered, eyes wide and shining with tears as he looked Sportacus in the eyes.

"We aren't falling. Look" Sportacus replied never breaking eye contact. Robbie dared a glance, and Sportacus was right, they weren't falling.

"What? How is that possible!" Robbie exclaimed yanking his hands away from Sportacus. The ship was still falling apart but is was happening so slowly, like everything was in slow motion. Robbie watched as larger pieces of the Airship splintered apart and then those smaller pieces splintering further.

Everything was just becoming smaller and smaller variations of itself, eventually becoming something like glittering sand. With a sense of morbid curiosity Robbie dragged his hand through the sand and metal shrapnel, he was certain it would cut him, but it merely bounced away.

It was like they were in zero-gravity, everything moving in a singular direction until it encountered something and then merely changed course. Robbie looked over at Sportacus who merely stood there the glittering metal sand floating like dust motes in a sunbeam around his person, and Robbie was struck by how beautiful it all looked.

The glow of the sun reflected against the floating metal splinters and sand that constellated around them sparkling like tiny orange and white stars, and Sportacus had a warm and affection expression as he looked at Robbie. Robbie could feel the heat of the blush on his face, as Sportacus reached up cradled his face his lips part as he spoke.

 

"Robbie wake up!" Sportacus yelled as as he harden his grip on Robbie's face, and suddenly it was like someone had turned the gravity back on.

Robbie felt them go into a free-fall, the wind a rushing roar in his ears, and watched the glittering splinters of the once proud Airship follow. Robbie squeezed his eyes shut waiting for the inevitable impact of terra firma, but instead felt Sportacus' grip tighten again, almost painfully, on his face. Opening his eyes he looked at Sportacus and saw his lips moving, yet no sound accompanied Sportacus's words.

"I can't," Robbie began, but realized Sportacus probably couldn't hear him either, and simply shook his head.

Sportacus frowned and tried talking again, moving his mouth in a more controlled manner. Robbie was quick to catch on and tried to read Sportacus' lips, but he was unable as Sportacus' mouth moved in a odd way, making it impossible to understand what he was trying to voice.

Robbie shook his head again and he could feel himself tearing up, whether it was from frustration or knowing he was falling to his death, Robbie was unsure.

Sportacus closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to be steeling himself before his eyes snapped open. He gave Robbie a determined look and pulled Robbie's face toward his own.

Robbie closed his eyes and waited for Sportacus to do what? Kiss him? He shivered as he felt a pair of soft lips brush against his ear. He could feel Sportacus pulling in air as he breathed and Robbie swore he heard a whispered apology before Sportacus yelled out in booming voice, _"VAKNAÐU!"_

Robbie came careening out of his chair in a graceless flop and became entangled in his nest of blankets as he fell onto floor. He let out a loud grunt at the impact and began gasping like a fish out of water, panicking at the darkness surrounding him.

Robbie felt hands quickly and gently remove the blankets that were feeling more and more suffocating as the seconds ticked by, and as soon as the final offending blanket was removed, he scrambled forward in a awkward half-crawl until he felt the cold stone that made up his floor of his lair. Keeping his eyes closed, Robbie collapsed, pressing his achy, sweaty, and overly-warm body onto the cold floor. He moaned appreciatively at the sensation and relaxed into it. The moment was ruined by the sound of footsteps approaching and stopping by his person.  
Robbie dared a peek and barely opened one eye – big mistake. He hissed as a bright light assaulted his vision and quickly re-closed his eye. Robbie heard a warm chuckle, then felt a cool hand on his forehead brushing back his sweaty hair back, he moaned again, this time more quietly, at the feeling.

Steeling himself Robbie opened his eye again, and found Sportacus crouching over him the overhead light of his lair casting a halo like glow around Sportacus's head.

Robbie's breath stuttered as he recalled his dream, _the glowing sun, glittering metal splinters, rushing wind, and Sportacus._

Sportacus tilted his head at the skip in Robbie's breathing, "Robbie." He said quietly as not to startle him "Are you ok?" he asked still carding his hand through Robbie's hair.

Robbie was quiet for a moment, before he croaked out a tiny "Yes.", Sportacus winced in sympathy at Robbie's hoarse voice.

"Are you sure? You were tossing and turning a lot in your sleep." Sportacus said, glancing back at the armchair.

"I . . ." Sportacus paused for a moment, " I woke you up." he said not looking at Robbie.

"Ok." Robbie said slowly, rolling his eye, he was glad Sportacus had woken him up, but no way was he going to actually thank the man.

"I didn't want to, but." Sportacus wet his lips a nervous look crossing his features.

"But?" Robbie questioned as he tried to push himself off the floor, Sportacus immediately helped him up into a sitting position.

"You were crying." Sportacus answered lamely still refusing to look at Robbie.

 _Oh._ Robbie thought as he felt himself stiffen up in anger at the fact that Sportaspoon had seen him in the throes of a bad dream.

Sportacus let out a sigh through his nose, "Did you wan-."

"No!" Robbie snapped glaring at Sportacus, who put his hands up in a placating gesture.

"Ok!" Sportacus said quickly, hoping to soothe the sudden flair in Robbie's temper. Looking away Robbie scrubbed at his face with his hands, he was too tired to stay angry and his fever had yet to leave him making him even more exhausted.

 _Whatever_ his mind helpfully supplied, "Hey, Sportadork." Robbie grumbled "Make yourself useful and get me off the floor."

"Ok Robbie." Sportacus smiled as went to help Robbie up.

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Robbie shook himself out of the memory, cheeks blazing as he recalled the gentle phantom touch of Sportacus. With a small cough he busied himself with getting the medication opened.

"Whatever… Sportakook had no business being in my lair and bothering me in the first place,"  
Robbie grumbled as he struggled with the cap, grunting as he fought to get it off for a couple of minutes. A triumphant Ha! followed the crackling sound of the lid finally being removed.

Robbie skimmed over the dosage instructions then shrugged, deciding he was to lazy to bother. "Bottoms up I guess," he said to himself as he tipped the bottle back and took a large gulp. Robbie gagged at the flavor, the sweet cotton candy failed to mask the bitter and chalky taste of medicine. "You are nothing but lies." Robbie hissed at the bottle as he jammed the lid back on and set it none too gently in the medicine cabinet.

Twirling around, Robbie stomped out of the bathroom, his face twisted in a scowl as he went about his normal routine of plotting and planning. "That disgusting medication ought to work better than it tastes!" Robbie announced to himself, almost as if he was expecting something to happen. With nearly five minutes of nothing forthcoming, he straightened his vest and let a smug smile stretch across his face. "Well then -"

The cough came back just then, as if to retaliate. Robbie became indignant as the medicine had clearly failed him once again. Robbie continued coughing, the irritation in his throat unceasing. He began to panic slightly,  _What if I can't stop? Oh good gravy this is how I die? The great and devilishly handsome Robbie Rotten, defeated by a silly little cough!_

He could feel _something_ in the back of his throat, small and fluttering, like a tiny butterfly trying to escape from his esophagus. With a last forceful huff of breath, Robbie was able to dislodge whatever was in there. Panting, Robbie noticed an odd taste in his mouth and he smacked his lips together to try and chase the flavor to see if he could identify it. However, the source of the taste was something in his mouth. It was soft and had a velvety texture.

 _What in the world…_ Robbie thought as he crossed his eyes in an attempt to look down at his tongue, but that only made him dizzy on top of being out of breath. He shook his head to dispel the dizziness and, reaching up to his face, he delicately peeled the strange textured object off of his tongue. "What? How did that…" Robbie trailed off in bewilderment as he stared in surprise at a seemingly innocent flower petal resting between his pinched fingertips.

Robbie's brow pinched together in confusion as he moved the petal closer to his eyes for a better inspection. The petal had a slight dip in the middle of it giving it an obovate appearance as it tapered off into what looked like a sharp claw-like point at the end, and if Robbie squinted hard enough, he could just make out the delicate veins within. Turning the petal this way and that, Robbie took note of the color, white on the inside with a delicate pink coating the outside.

"Hmm…" Robbie hummed as he lifted his occupied hand up towards the lights in his lair, the luminosity making the petal nearly an opaque pink. Robbie took his other hand and rested it on his chin, a slender finger tapping an unknown rhythm on his lips as he thought, _how on Earth did this get… in me?_

"What disgusting plant did you come from?" Robbie growled accusingly as he flicked the petal onto the side table by his chair. He tried to recall what was currently blooming outside, but came up short, having been too busy avoiding the children and that flipping blue kangaroo when he had left his lair.

"Maybe I just accidentally swallowed it," Robbie reasoned, "and it went it down the wrong pipe." Yes, that sounded entirely plausible. It had been rather breezy when he was outside. He squinted at the pink petal. "This was a one time thing. I doubt I'll coughing up anymore of you!" Robbie chuckled. The very notion of being able to actually cough up flower petals seemed incredibly silly and ridiculous.

The universe, however, seemed hellbent on contradicting Robbie Rotten in every conceivable way possible today.

Robbie coughed again and his eyes went wide as the same tickling sensation assaulted his throat, the feeling akin to several agitated butterflies flapping against his tonsils. He started coughing more aggressively at the feeling. Soft velvet poured across his tongue along with a grassy and floral bitterness, and Robbie immediately spat it out. More pink and white petals came out of his mouth, now with the addition of smaller blueish-purplish flowers.

Robbie decide to forego coughing into his fist as his lungs continued to push more flowers and petals out of his mouth. With a morbid sense of curiosity Robbie watched as they drifted down in tight mesmerizing spirals of white, pink, blue, and purple. It was dizzying to watch them float down to the floor, or was it the lack of air causing his head to swim?

Stumbling on shaking legs over to his recliner, Robbie stuck his arm out and leaned against it, his hand sinking slightly into the soft orange fuzz. His other hand laid splayed across his chest as he tried to simply _breathe_. Wheezing, he could still feel more flowers sliding out, like slick velvet sticking to his mouth and teeth leaving an awful aftertaste.

Robbie collapsed, his knees knocking painfully onto the floor. Luckily his outstretched arm prevented him from slamming straight into the chair. He clawed weakly at the collar of his shirt, the normal sense of protection it brought now becoming overly-suffocating. Robbie gagged. He was going to throw up, he just knew it. He had the tell-tale sensation of saliva pooling in his mouth.

With a cough so violent Robbie could feel his ribs creaking from the force, the last of the petals came spewing out from his mouth in an anomalous shower of bright pink and purple. Gasping as he could suddenly breathe, Robbie sagged into his chair, panting heavily, glad to be dragging oxygen into his lungs despite the burning pain it brought to his throat. Blinking at the black spots that danced in the orange fuzz that obscured most of his vision as he gasped for breath, he brought a shaky hand up to wipe away the sweat that had accumulated on his forehead.

Robbie tried to even out his breathing, slow shuddering in and out breaths that eventually found an even rhythm. Lifting up his head, Robbie felt drool pour out of his mouth in small rivulets down his chin. "Eugh," he said, disgusted and furiously wiped it away, not caring that it was soaking his sleeve in spit.

Robbie ran his tongue over the entirety of his mouth, teeth and all, as he spat out any remaining petals. Sliding down the chair, Robbie carefully sat down on the floor, taking care to stretch out his now cramping legs. Leaning his side against the chair, Robbie gave the mess he created a look of disinterest. Saliva-soaked petals and flowers were sticking to the fuzz of his chair and rug and seemed to be everywhere, the white, pink, and purple creating an interesting pattern.

A floral scent had begun to permeate the lair, an odd combination of apples and lilac that was making Robbie even more queasy. Groaning, Robbie just rested his head in his hand and tried to ignore the smell. He was too tired, shaken, and, above all, lazy to deal with anything at the moment. The entire ordeal had exhausted him. Robbie felt himself lean more heavily on the chair, his eyelids drooping as sleep beckoned him into its arms, the smell of apples suddenly familiar and comforting.

 

The last thought Robbie had before he became unconscious was that going to need a _lot_ more cough syrup… and possibly a book on flowers.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd personal like to thank Yaoiputin for betaing this hellbeast, and I'd like to thank all the succateers who have been nothing but wonderful and supportive. Seriously I can't thank you guys enough.
> 
>  
> 
> Flowers and their meanings in this chapter.  
> Apple blossoms: Preference  
> Lilac: First emotions of love


End file.
